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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. present — the time now
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. shower — to wash
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — size or range
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. shower — rain
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com